COVID-19: LASEPA, Safety Commission to intensify sensitisation on social distancing

Mon, Mar 30, 2020
By publisher
4 MIN READ

Politics

THE Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) says it will intensify sensitization to further deepen the residents’ understanding of the message of social distancing and large gathering.

The General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe said in a statement on Monday that the agency would continue its sensitization and monitoring exercise in collaboration with the Lagos State Safety Commission.

Fasawe called on Lagosians to heed the directives of the government and act in the best interest of all members of the public.

She said that the agency had carried out sensitisation and monitoring exercise in some entertainment centres and churches across the state.

According to her, the agency had noted the level of compliance in most places visited and also observed the need to sustain sensitisation already being carried out by the government.

The General Manager specifically commended Lagosians along the Lekki-Ajah corridor of the state for the closure of non-essential stores in and around the areas, including clubs and other entertainment-related facilities.

She attributed the compliance level to the several awareness campaigns earlier embarked upon by the agency and the informed level of residents of the area.

”An earlier enforcement exercise carried out by the agencies reawakened the consciousness of the residents to the seriousness attached to limiting the spread of the virus by the state government,” Fasawe said.

She said that the agency with its safety commission counterpart had resolved to be more aggressive in its public advocacy.

According to her, the state government is not ruling out the option of shutting down any facility acting in defiance to its directives, but will only do that if such facility has refused to comply with the social distancing advocacy and also run foul of the maximum number of public gathering directive.

She said that the governor had prevailed on LASEPA to do more public advocacy and not just enforcement.

”It is not just about sealing up facilities but we should sensitise people more about the dangers of the COVID-19 and its reality among us as citizens of this country.’

”Infact, in some churches visited, we observed that they complied with the maximum number of persons that could gather at a particular time but did not comply with the social distancing.

”In such circumstances, we insisted and even assisted them to rearrange the sitting arrangements to comply with social distancing,” Fasawe said.

Comparing the level of compliance among residents living on the Lagos Mainland with those on the Lagos Island corridor, the LASEPA boss said that some pastors on the Mainland claimed that they were not aware of the reduction of a maximum number of public gathering from 50 to 25.

She, however, identified the need to redirect enlightenment efforts to the areas where a low level of compliance was observed.

The Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, urged Lagosians to observe the social distancing advocacy from the government.

Mojola said that the directive was not only targeted at places of worship but also at other forms of gathering in the streets or any other public places.

He said that there was a need for people to stay at home in order to help lower the spread of the virus.

”The virus cannot spread by itself because it does not have legs and hands and as such the only means through which it is transferred is through human to human, that’s why we will continue to tell our people to stay at home,” Mojola said.

Among the several churches visited, few churches were sealed for not complying fully with the directive of the state government.

The churches are Redeem Church, New Height Assembly, Oluwole Saabo, Ojodu Abiodun Lagos; Christ Virtues Restoration Word International, 2, Surulere Street, by number 1, Oniwaya Road, Dopemu, Lagos and Fire Pentecostal Ministry International, 27/29 Okeho Street, Pako Bus Stop, Off Abeokuta Expressway, Dopemu, Lagos.

However, a high level of compliance was noticed in other churches visited in Omole, Mushin, Ikorodu, Oshodi, Ipaja, Surulere, among other areas like all the churches in these areas already instructed their members to join their church services online at the comfort of their homes.

Mosques visited were locked and these included, Alhamdiyya, along Lagos-Abeokuta; Alimosho Central mosque, Moshalashi, Iyana Ipaja; Ansarurdeen Mosque, Gate, Ipaja; amongst others. (NAN)

– Mar. 30, 2020 @ 17:39 GMT |

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